From the second Grammy-nominated artist Chris Young opens his mouth, there’s no denying that he’s a country star.

With his deep, rich voice, the 28-year-old is keeping the traditional country genre alive and well. And the Tennessee native is turning up the heat with his fourth album, A.M., releasing Sept. 17.

Young talked to Parade.com about his new record, his favorite career moments, and more.

On his fourth album, A.M.“This record’s a little bit different than the last couple I’ve put out. There’s a lot more tempo on this than any of my previous records. And it’s just a little bit different of a sound.”

On the change in country music in recent years.“The music and the format have changed a lot over the past two years. The landscape has changed a little bit. There are definitely a lot of different sounds, and it’s just a matter of finding where you fit in. Luckily, it looks like we found something with this record that works and that people are really excited about.”

On getting his start as the winner of Nashville Star in 2006.“I think it’s definitely one of the avenues that’s become more prominent over the years. Whether you start from a TV show or you get your record deal from pounding the pavement in Nashville, there are pros and cons to both ways of doing it. It’s definitely a matter of what you do once you’re there on a record label because that’s really where a lot of the work starts.”

On some of his standout career moments so far.“There are a lot of different things. From doing my first headlining tour—I finally got a chance to kind of test the water a little bit with that, which was amazing. And filling up Ryman Auditorium (formerly Grand Ole Opry House) in Nashville—that was a big deal for me because of that building and what it means. And getting to go on tour with some great people: Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, and Brad Paisley. My first real record was a really big deal. And then obviously, my first No. 1 because it was four singles before I had anything over No. 37. So there have been a lot of highlight moments.”

On touring with infamous prankster, Brad Paisley.“He’s played around a little bit. He’s really gonna get you if you’re out on tour with him. I haven’t gotten that particular prank yet, but I know it’s coming. With Brad, you always have a heads up!”

On his cameo last season on ABC’s Nashville.“It was a lot of hurry up and wait, but it was a great experience. It’s a cool show. I think we were there for about seven hours, and we were on the show for 45 seconds. I definitely enjoyed the experience, but I don’t know if I’d want to make a living doing it!”

Watch Chris Young in action! Check out the video for his new single, “Aw Naw.”